Rake attachment for mowers



(No Model.) Q 3 Sheets-Sheet; 1.-

' J. MARSHALL.

RAKE ATTACHMENT FOR MOWERS. No. 503,152. Patented- Aug. 15, 1893.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J MARSHALL. RAKE ATTACHMENT FOR MOWBRS.

Patented Aug! 15 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MARSHALL, OF MENTONE, INDIANA.

RAKE'ATTACHMENT FOR MOWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,152, dated August 15, 1893. Application filed February 18, 1893. Serial No. 462,838. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN MARSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mentone, in the county of Kosciusko and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Rake Attachment for Mowers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mowers, and has special reference to a rakeattachment for the same; the objects in view being to provide a rake-attachment that is light, cheap and portable and which may be readily applied to the ordinary type of mowor; to be under the control of the operator and adapted to constantly gather the clover, 8270., being mowed, and at intervals to deposit the same in piles in rear of the mower and out of line with subsequent travel.

With these and various other objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawingsz-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mower provided with a rake-attachment constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the same being taken from the rear. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview of the attachment. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the traveling-apron or carrier. Fig. 5 is a similar view through the standard for supporting the rake-operating shaft. Fig 6 is a side elevation and partial section of that standard for supporting the rake-operating shaft that is located at the inner side of the attachment.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention and its applicability I have shown the same in connection with a mower of ordinary construction, and I will simply mention such parts thereof as are necessary to the operation and attachment of my invention thereto.

Theaxle 1 of the mower, as usual, is supported by the ground-wheels 2, and supports by suitable means the knife-carrying fingerbar 3 which is regulated, that is raised and lowered through the medium of the hand-lever 4:. The axle is provided at its inner end with a sprocket-wheel 5, and beyond-said wheel has depending therefrom a bifurcated bracket-arm 6 in which is journaled a short transverse shaft 7 carrying an inner small sprocket-wheel 8 and an outer similar sprocketwheel 9.

The attachment proper consists of opposite side-bars 10, a rear cross-bar 11, an intermediate cross-bar 12, and a front cross-bar 13, the latter bar being located below the horizontal plane of the upper edges of the side-bars 10 and connected to the intermediate transverse bar 12 by a concaved or inclined platform 14-, which platform is loosely connected with the finger-bar 3 of the mower by ordinary hinges 15.

Rising from the side-bars 10 is a pair of standards 16,the same being provided at their upper ends with rearwardly-extending horizontal portions or heads 17, which are braced by. means of inclined bars 18 whose lower ends are secured to the upper edges of the side-bars 10, cross the standards 16, and at their upper ends are bolted to the heads 17. In the heads 17 bearings 19 are provided, and the same receive a horizontal shaft 20 which adjacent to its bearings is provided with cranked-portions 21. Upper and lower rocking arms 22 and 23 have their inner ends loosely connected with the shaft 20 above the cranks and with the cranks, said arms being pivotally connected as at 24 to pairs of rakeoperating bars 25, whose lower ends are connected to the opposite ends of a transverse rake-head 26 provided with a series of teeth, said rake-head being of sufficient length to extend across the platform 14.. Fulcrum standards 27 rise from the side-bars 10 immediately in advance of the standards 16, are bifurcated at their upper ends, in this instance, and pivoted as at 28 to the intermediate portions of the lower rocking-arms 23. Thus it will be seen that as the crank-shaft 20 is rotated the rake-head will be given a swinging movement over the platform 14 carrying all grass, clover, &c., that may fall upon the platform when out back from the cutter-bar to the rear of said platform 14 from which it will be discharged.

The inner end of the shaft 20 has bearing in a yoke 29, and between the yoke and adjacent head 19 a gear-wheel 30 is mounted fixedly upon the shaft. A short countershaft 31 is likewise journaled in the yoke and adjacent head 1'9, and the same has mounted fixedly thereon a small sprocket-wheel 32 and a gear-wheel 33, the latter intermeshing with and driving the gear 30 of the crank-shaft. A supplemental standard 34 is secured to the inner end of the intermediate cross-bar 12 a short distance beyond and directly opposite the inner standard 16, and journaled in said standards 16 and 34 is a short horizontal shaft 35, the same carrying an inner loose sprocketwheel 36, an outer fixed sprocket-wheel 37, and an intermediate splined beveled gear 38. The beveled gearis provided on its inner face with a ratchet-toothed hub 39, which may be thrown into engagement with a small hub on the outer face of the sprocket-wheel 36. A hand-lever 42 is fulcrumed upon a bracket 43, which extends from the innerstandard l6, and the upper end of said lever is within convenient reach of the operator when perched upon the seat of the mower. The lower end of the lever is provided with a yoke 44 which engages with the hub of the gear-wheel 38.

In rear of the platform 14, in suitable hearings formed in the cross-bars 11 and 12 at the sides of the attachment, there is journaled a pair of longitudinally-disposed shafts 45, the inner shaft or that adjacent to the mower, extending a slight distance beyond the crossbar 12 and under the gear 38, where it is provided with a gear 46 which is engaged by a small pinion 46 located upon the lower end of a short vertical shaft 46, whose upper end carries a pinion 46 which may he engaged by the gear 36 when the latter is out of engagement with the ratchet hub 40 of the inner sprocket 36. Mounted upon the rollers is a transversely movable endless carrier 49, the same being provided at intervals with cross-cleats, as is usual, and designed to move toward the inner side of the attachment or toward the mower. The outer and rear sides of this endless carrier are walled in by means of a side and rear wall 48, which may be formed of any suitable material, and is supported in position by suitable standards 47 rising from the frame. The rear end of the frame is supported through the medium of an ordinary caster 50, while the front end is supported in this instance by means of the cutter-bar.

In order to adapt the attachment to be moved readily over the ground the side-bars 10 are slightly curved toward their ends to form runners and the entire attachment 'provided with a bottom 51 partaking of the contour of the side bars and adapted therefore to glide smoothly over the surface.

A sprocket-chain 52 connects the mastersprocket-gear 5 with the small sprocket 8, and motion is transmitted from the mastersprocket and axle to the shaft 7 through this means. A sprocket-chain 53 leads from the innersprocket-wheel 9 rearwardly to the outer sprocket 37 0f the shaft 35 and thus transmits motion to the shaft 35 and to the splined gear 38. The inner sprocket 36 is by means of a chain 54 connected with the small sprocket 33 of the countershaft 31, whereby motion is imparted to this shaft, and through the medium of the gear-wheel 32 motion isimparted to the gear 30 of the crank-shaft 20 and from thence to the crank-shaft whereby, as will be obvious, the rake will be caused to lower upon the front end of the platform 14, move rearward across the same, and discharge the cut clover or grass upon the carrier 49. A flat spring 55 is interposed between the lever 42 above its fulcrum 43 and the inner standard 16, so that normally the upper end of the lever is pressed toward the mower or the driver and the lower end pressed outward,so that the gear-wheel 38 is out of engagement with the gear-wheel 46 of the endless-carrier and its ratchet-hub is in engagement with the ratchet-hub 40 of the inner sprocket 36, so that normally the rakes are in motion. When, however, it is desired, to dump the accumulation of clover or grass upon the carrier to the ground, it is simply necessary for the driver to press the upper end of the lever 42 outward so as to disengage the ratchet-hub thereof with that of the inner sprocket 36, which immediately stops the movement of the rake, and the gear 38 engaging with the gear 46 of the carrier, said carrier is moved or made to travel its length, thus causing a discharge of the accumulation of clever or grass at the inner side of the carrier and therefore directly in rear of the mower and out of line with its subsequent travel. As soon as the lever is released the spring 55 automatically returns the parts to their normal positions and the rake continues to gather the clover or grass and deposit it regularly upon the stationary carrier, which is again operated when a sufficient quantity has accumulated. A rod 56 may, if desired, lead from the shaft 35 to the bracket-arm 6 and be loosely connected to the same, thereby serving to brace and connect the attachment with the machine and yet permit of the rise and fall of the machine as the, same passes over the undulations of the ground.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided a light, simple, and cheap attachment, that is readily applicable to all mowers of the ordinary class, and which when in position will automatically gather or rake the clover or grass as mowed, delivering the same from the platform in rear of the cutter-bar upon an endless carrier which may be operated at intervals to thus deposit the accumulations; and furthermore, that when the endless-carrier is operated to deposit the accumulations, the rake is temporarily arrested in its operation, so that, as will be obvious, the accumulations are deposited in a pile and not strewn carelessly or indiscriminately over the grass at the side of the machine.

By the use of my attachment I avoid the necessity of subsequently raking the field, thus saving expense and labor.

IIO

. I do not limit my invention to the precise details herein set forth and illustrated, but

hold that I may vary the same to any extent and to any degree Within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic, and yet be within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what. I claim is V 1. The combination with a mowing machine and its finger-bar, of a platform connected to and located in rear of the finger-bar and at the side of the machine, a rake supported over the platform, an endless carrier in rear of and transverse to the platform, and adapted to deliver in rear of the'machine and driving means between the rake, carrier and axle of the mower, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a mower and its finger-bar, of a platform having a rounded bottom secured to the finger-bar, a rake arranged thereover, an endless-carrier arranged in rear of the platform and adapted to move transversely thereto, and to deliver in rear of the machine and means for driving the rake and moving the platform, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a mower having a finger-bar, of a platform arranged in rear of and connected to the finger-bar, a rake arranged over the platform, atransversely movable carrier arranged in rear of the platform and adapted to receive the discharges therefrom, of means for alternately operating the rake and moving the carrier, substantially as specified.

4:- The combination with a mower and its finger-bar, of a platform hinged at its front edge to the finger-bar, said platform having a supporting framework extending in rear thereof, a caster-wheel for supporting the rear end. of the platform, a rake supported over the platform, an endless carrier arranged in rear of the platform and adapted to receive its discharges, and driving means between the axle and mower, the rake and carrier for alternately operating the rake and carrier, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a mower and its finger-bar, of a framework connected to the latter, a platform arranged in rear'of the finger-bar within the framework, a transverselymovable carrier one shaft of which is provided with a gearwheel, a rake-head arranged over the platform, a shaft for operating the rake-head, a gear-wheel on the shaft, a lower countershaft, a loose wheel thereon, gearing between the wheel and that of the crankshaft, a toothed hub upon the wheel of the countershaft, a sprocket-wheel arranged on the countershaft and adapted to move therewith, a gear-wheel splined on the countershaft, a lever for operating the gear whereby the same is in engagement with the gear of the carrier or out of engagement with the latter and in engagement with the wheel of the countershaft, and a sprocket-belt engaging the fixed sprocket-wheel of the countershaft,

anddriving connections between the same and the axle of the mower, substantially as specified.

6. In an attachment of the class described, the combination with the rectangular frame, the platform arranged thereon,the standards rising from the frame, the crank-shaft supported by the standards, of the arms 22 and 23 having their rear ends loosely connected with the crank-shaft and the cranks thereof,

respectively, the outer bars 25 pivotally connected to the outer ends of the arms, the rakehead secured to the lower ends of said bars, the standards rising from the framework in front of the first-mentioned standards and pivotally connected with the arms 23, and means for rotating said crank-shaft, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a mower, of the rake attachment loosely hinged to the finger bar thereof, a caster-wheel for supporting the rear end of the attachment, a platform arranged in rear of the finger-bar, a rake, means for operating the same, a bracket-arm depending from the axle of the mower, and a loose rod extending rearwardly from the bracketarm and connected with the attachment, sub stantially as specified.

8. The combination with the mower comprising the axle, ground-wheels, and fingerbar, of the sprocket-wheel 5 upon the axle,

the bracket-arm 6 depending from the axle, a short shaft 7 journaled on the bracket-arm and having the inner and outer gears 8 and 9 respectively, the sprocket-wheel 52 connecting the gears 5 and 8, the attachment com prising the opposite bars 10 and cross-bars 11, 12 and 13 arranged at one side of the mower in rear of and loosely connected with the finger-bar, the standards rising from the sidebars of the frame and provided with crossheads 17, the crank-shaft 2O journaled in the cross-heads, the rake carried and operated by the shaft, the gear 30 mounted on the shaft, the small gear 32 engaging therewith the shaft 31 of said small gear, a sprocket-wheel 33 mounted on the shaft 31, the lower countershaft 35, the sprocket-wheel 36 at the inner end of the same, the chain 54: connecting TOC the sprocket-wheels 33 and 36, the sprocket- Wheel 37 on said shaft 35, and the sprocketchain 53 leading from the sprocket-wheel 9 to said sprocket-wheel 37, substantially as specified.

9. The combination withamowing machine and its finger-bar, of aplatform connected to the latter, an endless carrier arranged in rear and adapted to move transverse to the platform, a gear-wheel arranged at the inner end of the carrier, a rake arranged over the plat form, a shaft arranged adj acent to the inner end of the carrier and below the rake,a1oose wheel on the sh aft and provided with a ratchet-hub, means for transmitting motion from the loose wheel to the rake, means for conveying motion from the mower to the shaft, a gear-wheel splined upon the shaft adjacent to the loose wheel and provided upon its rear face with a ratchet-hub adapted to engage that of the loose Wheel and when out of such engagement; to engage the gear of the endless-carrier, a lever fulcrumed above the gear and having a yoke engaging the same, and a spring arranged against the lever and adapted to press the lower end of the same inward, whereby the gear is maintained normally in engagement with the loose wheel, substantially as I6 specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregolng as my own I have hereto affixed my signatureln the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MARSHALL.

NVitnesses:

CHAS. F. SoHoLnER, HOWARD STEININGER. 

